In March 2025, a Northern District of Texas judge denied the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) motion to stay its case against Comerica Bank for alleged mismanagement of a government benefit card program in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Comerica Bank.
The CFPB filed this suit in December 2024, alleging that Comerica provided deficient customer service and charged illegal ATM fees to individuals receiving federal benefits via prepaid debit cards. The CFPB requested that the court stay the case to allow new leadership time to review the matter before proceeding. The court rejected this motion, noting that the CFPB failed to explain how staying the case, just three months after filing it, would be "in the interest of justice." Further, the court found that a stay could harm defendant Comerica Bank, who argued that the ongoing action was causing it continued reputational harm.
This order comes amidst ongoing uncertainty surrounding the CFPB's litigation docket, as the CFPB has dismissed and requested stays of numerous actions over the past month. Although this ruling will prevent this case against Comerica from remaining in flux, the CFPB's next steps remain unknown.
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